Mike Locksley after Maryland AD Jim Smith's backing: "I see a light at the end of the tunnel"

Nearly 18 hours after Maryland football dropped its sixth consecutive game, athletic director Jim Smith publicly backed head coach Mike Locksley and announced additional resources ahead of an eighth season as head coach in 2026. For many, that ended the ongoing ‘what if’ question surrounding the program with clarity now provided for the immediate future for Maryland football.

Head coach Mike Locksley emphasized the commitment from Maryland’s leadership, adding he’s “hip to hip” with AD Jim Smith and senior deputy AD Diana Sabau.

“From the day that Diana and Jim got here…both those guys have played a huge role - hip to hip with me,” Locksley said after the first question during Tuesday’s press conference. “There was a time from December 1 up through the hiring of Buzz [Williams] our basketball coach that there weren't a lot of people that understood the landscape. And when they got here, I can remember the first meeting I had with them, we presented a plan. And for them to see the plan and understand, and then they've had a chance now to watch what we've done. Obviously, no one, including myself, is happy with where we are when we talk about the map and the terrain. But from the day they got here, they've supported every part of and they understand what winning looks like. Jim coming off of winning a baseball championship with the Braves. Diana and her time at Ohio State, obviously understand what it takes. And winning has a cost. Very rarely do you see me stand up here in front of you guys and complain about whether the resources were enough or not enough because I'm always going to make do with what I have. And that's what we've done. We've given it our best, but to have two people now that are going to stand with me, hip to hip, give me the resources I need to build this program. I've had a total commitment to this area for a long time. I was asked last week why. I spent 37 years in this business doing what I do and AJ and Shawne are a reflection of it. I spent 17 seasons on this campus. Not very many people know the ins and outs of this campus like I have and to have two people now that share the same special vision that I have, while also seeing the foundation of what we have when we didn't have all the resources that we needed. I'm excited. I see a light at the end of the tunnel so really glad about the support, opportunity to stay here, committed to an area that I believe in because I'm from here.”

More from Locksley about Jim Smith’s confidence, team messaging, Michigan and more:

Opening statement

“Tremendous opportunity in front of us this week as we welcome Michigan, coach [Sherrone] Moore this team here to The Shell this Saturday. As I told our players yesterday, the next two weeks, we're in what I call a play-on situation where for us to play-on this first game is a really important game because it gives us a chance to extend our season, to extend our season into December, which is a needed, needed, needed opportunity for a team like ours. We need everyone on roster to play for the guys next to them. We got a senior group that I have a lot of respect for that made the decision to come here, some of them five years ago, like Ethan Gough, some of them four years ago, like Punch and Octavian and these guys have poured their hearts out for the Maryland football program through good and bad.

Campus events on Saturday

“And also want to acknowledge a few other things that are going on Saturday. Obviously, this Military Appreciation game is just something that's big for us around in this area, the impact that the military has had in this area. As someone who's worked at military academies, it's something that's really important, especially knowing and seeing the guys that I had a chance to coach that are now out leading our military. I think Shawne Merriman and AJ Francis, two guys I had the opportunity to coach, are doing their givebacks this weekend. I think Shawne, has done his coat driving to know Shawne’s story, which I do, because I recruited him here and know about the fire and how he was unable to house caught on fire because they didn't have heat. And the coat drive is something that he's done a long time right here. And AJ, obviously the community food drive that he has done here for the last few years shows the impact that these guys feel that this program has had on them for them to come and repeatedly give back the way they the way they have them. And obviously the senior recognition, which for me is always really important, because I do what I do because of these kids. It's a bit smaller group this year because of the landscape we're in, but some of these guys have meant so much to me, to this program, to this community, and I'm really excited to be able to honor them and honor them, hopefully, by playing winning football.”

Game captains

“Our game captains this week, Ethan Gough, Shaleak Punch Knotts and Octavian Smith will represent us.”

Whether it helps avoid distractions

“It’s always been about the kids for me. I mean, the only time it bothers me is when it bothers them and I can't protect them from social media. I can't protect them from the things that are being said about the program. But anybody that walks through Jones Hill House knows one, there aint a coach in college that feels safe. Safe ain't a word that's in my vocabulary. I've never felt safe in my life. I've always been committed, and that's the word that's in my vocabulary. I've been committed to the DMV area, committed to football here on this campus, committed to doing good work with kids and this community. And that's what I'm gonna do.”

On Jim Smith’s resources

“I’m not gonna do that. That’s for Jim to talk about, Michael. Good question. I don't get up here and talk about what we have and don't have. I've told you, we've been resourced to go to bowl games. But winning has a cost, and if you want to win big, obviously there's examples all throughout the country of commitments that have been made. Not saying that I haven't had enough resources because what's enough? I know this. The only question I've ever asked was put me in the middle. When he asked me what I need I say put me in the middle and if you put me in the middle, I think if you look at the type of roster we put together over the years, don't always have the depth, don't always have the ability with the injuries that we face but with the added resources, I think you'll see those things.”

Why the investment hasn’t already happened

“That's not for me to discuss. That's above my pay grade to discuss. I know what I've been given. From the time I got here, I know what I walked into. I've always chose hard. I had a cushy job down to Tuscaloosa but I like this place. I love this place. And it was important for me to come back and do my part to help put a foundation together that allows Maryland football to have a chance to compete at the highest level.”

On faith inside the program

“That's a good question, because I don't know if you know, I have had a tremendous transformation in how I've handled things and a lot of it is because of my faith. And with my Christian faith that I have, I have respect for all faiths. We build the whole character of a kid. We want them to be the best academics, the best football and the best person. And faith plays a big role in that. It's a big part of my program.”

Whether Jim Smith’s message trickled into the locker room

“I've always messaged honestly, authentically, contrary to what some people think. I don’t believe in coming up here and BSing y'all, I kind of tell you how I feel and I messaged through my leadership council. I have a group of kids on my team and players on my team that represent the demographics of our team. And we had a meeting on Sunday, and I knew that meeting was happening before the game on Saturday. I met with Jim. We meet weekly Diana's at most of the practices, so they see firsthand the work that we're doing behind the scenes that you guys aren't always privy to. And I think because of that, they have an understanding of what the future looks like and they also know - they get to see the background of the resources and what we have and haven't had. I don't get up there and complain about resources. I just know this - winning has a cost, and they understand that. I presented a plan for what it takes to win here at Maryland. They’re behind me and they’re behind that point.”

Michigan’s run game

“It's up front. I mean, you know, their head coach is a former [offensive] line guy. He's run first team now. They're the coordinator Chip Lindsey, who I've known chip a long time, he spent time at Notre Dame, and [he] was at Georgia Tech with Brent Key, who I worked with. And so they add a huge RPO element with Chip to the run game that they've already been one of those teams that likes to establish the run. And because of the philosophy of their head coach, there's no doubt they got talented backs, but the guys up front are the guys that really make them go. And if you look at the way those receivers block the perimeter, I think that shows you the character of this team.”

On Michigan DL Derrick Moore

“Derrick is one of those players from right up the road there St Francis, played for Coach Poggi, who I know very well. My son played for Biff over at Gilman. And so Derrick Moore is one of those talented guys, a lot like 17, a lot like a bunch of the guys we faced in this league. Every league has one. On the other side of them. You have a former Terp Jaishawn Barham, who plays linebacker, but also they walk them him to the boundary as a [defensive] end and there they will be a tremendous challenge for our tackles. Both Rahtrel [Perry] and Alan [Herron] have done a tremendous job from a fundamental standpoint of protecting our quarterback. So they'll have that challenge this week against two talented pass rushers that we know a lot about.”

On the senior class

“There's one play that jumped out to me last week that kind of showed you when I talk about this team, the goal line stand, [Jamare Glasker] was chasing from behind, completed the ball, contact at the one inch line and then I saw [Jalen Huskey] come in and finish, and I saw a bunch of guys running in and finishing. Our defense has stood tall all year long as they have had to because they have a little brother playing quarterback that's learning as he goes and is tremendous, tremendous talent, and will be a really talented player around for a long, long time. But it's plays like that that don't get talked about because the outcome, obviously, was the score. But those are the little things as a coach, when you show that to your team and you're able to show that type of finish in a game that we weren't necessarily in it at that point, I think that talks volume of what those seniors have brought. Because every day, Octavian, Shaleak, Ethan Gough, these guys show up. Jalen Huskey, who was a transplant, came back home to help me. These guys are bought in.”

On Michigan QB Bryce Underwood

“It's funny because Cam Newton had his quarterback camp here on campus a couple summers ago, and Bryce happened to be here. I know the guy that trains them really, really well up there in Michigan, does a tremendous job. So he came down for that camp, and Malik [Washington] happened to be here for that camp. And both those guys are super, Uber talented. And in this league, they have two young quarterbacks with futures like they both have. I think the thing that really makes Bryce go is not only the live arm, but his ability to extend plays with his feet. As a football player, as a quarterback, a guy that can hurt you -both arms and legs. He's learning as he goes as well. And for them to the two games, I think, out of possibly the college football playoffs, they got a lot to play for. They put a lot on him, a lot like we've asked a lot of our freshman quarterback. The run game for them has really kind of helped him. And so we got to figure out how to get our run game going this week. This will be a battle of two really young, talented quarterbacks that I think you'll see for years to come in this league.”

Whether Locksley has considered taking over play calls

“I'm involved in the shaping of our game plan. Pep is calling it. I haven't called very many plays. I make really strong suggestions now, but all those types of things are - Pep is the offensive coordinator. I'm shaping it like I learned from Nick Saban, who sat in every defensive meeting at Alabama and shaped the game plan and then make my interjections throughout the course of the game when needed.”

On ILB Daniel Wingate, DL Zahir Mathis

“Beat up. Yeah, they're beat up. But you know what? I guarantee they both will show up here Saturday to play. Zahir has been battling turf toe, turf toe on a young player. If you've ever had it, to play defense and not be able to anchor and have a wheel. Daniel's been playing on a bad ankle the last couple of games, and he is trying his butt off because he knows we don't have a lot of depth behind him, and so what we're doing is trying to get him to the game Saturday. So we're being smart with how we utilize him this week. He's a veteran enough player now that a lot of the reps that he needs to take could be more mental at this point in the season. So I expect both those guys to be available.”

On whether Locksley has pointed to last games vs. Michigan

“It's a new team, new slate. The landscape we're in this is, this is where you're at. I mean, they got Wink Martindale as their D coordinator, who was the coordinator at the New York Giants, so nothing and how we played against them matters on that end. They got chip Lindsey as their offensive coordinator. There's nothing from last two games we've played them that operate from how they played them to now. The head coach is similar so there are some similarities there, but the landscape we're in, this is one of those every year is going to be about this game. And usually for us, it's not really about our opponent because if you go back and look at where we are, it's typically things that we can control or that we have to do better. And I understand that, and we'll continue to coach and work through it.”

On Michigan’s run game, challenge in stopping them

“I thought last week, we did a really good job through three quarters. And this is where the complimentary ness of how we got to play on offense to help our defense. Our defense played the run better last week because we had better players back. We had 57 I mean, I can't talk about Bryce Jenkins enough, about the size he has, his power, his strength. And he hasn't played a lot. He's had some injuries and coming off the concussion, but to play the run, you got to have big bodies in this league. And up front, it doesn't matter who their running back is because Michigan has a big front five and they've got some tight ends that do a really good job. For us to stop the run, and I think last week, I think they were 120 yards of rushing going into the fourth quarter before they had a couple of the long plays at the end. It's about being gap sound and it's about tackling. Two weeks ago, we missed 22 tackles against Rutgers. Last week, we missed four. Some of that's a byproduct of guys playing through injuries and not being able to finish. Some of its young guys that are being thrust into roles where this year, we haven't played a bunch of young players as backups like I have in the past, because as I've always said, we're not a developmental program anymore. You know why? Because we have to win now. And we got two games left to play. We got a game against Michigan here at home, a bunch of seniors that we owe to go out and finish and to have pride in how we finish playing here at home. And then these seniors also have a responsibility to figure out how to get a win to extend so that we could develop and this young team even more with the opportunity to play football.”

What more investments & resources can provide

“Well, there's nothing that those resources can do to help me right now, currently, because we're in this season. All the other stuff is stuff that at the end of the season, I think as you sit with Jim, as you get with the people, I'm not here to give the playbook. I gave the plan of what it takes to compete for Big Ten championships. It has a cost. They're familiar with that because of the plan I presented. Obviously, with his statement, all I can do a statement that he understands because he comes from it. Diana understands, they come from it. I've never sat up and complained, bitched or moaned about resources. All I say is winning has a cost. I am doing the best with what I have had. And it's been resourced enough to be a bowl eligible team. That part is on me. We're not bowl eligible, haven't been last season and we have opportunities to be now and that's what my focus is on.”

Whether there’s a sense of earning back trust from fans

“All I can tell you is, anybody that knows me knows how committed I've been to Maryland football. For me to have to sit up here and explain to fans how much I want to win here. I think the people that understand and know, know. If you just look at how we recruit here, players don't follow BS. They go where they think and know it's real. It's real here in this program. And now we have a vision, a plan and now I have partners that will help me execute the plan that I've set for us to take the next level.”

Whether Locksley with Jim Smith released the letter sooner

“It didn't bother me when it dropped, how it dropped. It needed to be said at whatever point Jim felt comfortable to be able to say it. He's evaluated this program from the time he's gotten here, super smart guy that from the day he got here, there's no doubt he understood the business of sport but he also understands sports business. And then Diana and her expertise with being at places where they've had great success - and it's not that we didn't have that here before. I'm saying that they have partnered with the vision I have for what it would take, and they agree and they've given me the time. It takes time and resources. They've given me the time, obviously my contract allows that and then they are committed to giving me the resources.”

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